Olive Branches
by LaylaYuy
Summary: Rosalie agrees to guard Bella while Edward goes hunting. A small connection between future sisters.


Disclaimer: I definitely don't own any of these characters. They belong to the wonderful mind of Stephenie Meyer.

Author's Note: This was inspired by similar stories by Stephenie herself and sillybella. It takes place shortly after the end of _New Moon_. Although it starts with a familiar pattern, I hope I was able to successfully make it something unique. I'm not sure it turned out the way I wanted it to. But anytime I tried to make the bond seem deeper, it just fell apart. It seems Rosalie is just too stubborn. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it. And I would definitely appreciate any comments or reviews. Oh, and this is my first _Twilight_ fic, so if it is completely OC, that's why.

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12:40 am. Bella is sleeping, head spread out on her pillow, clutching her quilt in her left hand, the barest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of lips. She looks peaceful. And she has for the past thirty-eight minutes. Not a single thing has changed since I sat down in her rocking chair. Not one thing.And I've exhausted every visible means of entertainment in those thirty-eight minutes.

My reflection in Bella's dark computer screen is distorted by the curvature of the screen, which makes it hard to come up with new hair styles or make-up schemes. I can't turn on a light to really read and I haven't been able to find Bella's collection of CDs. I listen to Edward play his piano all the time. I have no desire to listen him on CD, and that is the CD in her CD player. So I'm just sitting here in the dark, counting the minutes until her father wakes and I can return home.

With a deep, but silent sigh, I remind myself why I am sitting here. Edward needs to hunt, and he and Emmett have planned a competition for this trip. As much as Edward is repairing his relationship with Bella, he's reconnecting with the family as well. And with Edward gone, it meant someone had to guard Bella and her father during the night. Normally guard duty would have fallen to Alice, but this weekend was her and Jasper's anniversary. They, obviously, wanted some time to themselves. Carlisle was in Seattle for a conference on heart disease, and Esme had gone with him. So with Emmett hunting with Edward that left the job to me. But even if the job hadn't fallen to me, I would have volunteered to go in Alice's place.

Since Edward had returned, the entire family has been in what Emmett calls "Olive Branch Mode". We are all making open and visible overtures to demonstrate our sorrow or forgiveness for previous actions, ensuring the unity of our family. And I am considering tonight one of my olive branches. I want Edward, and the rest of the family, to see that I am no longer fighting Bella's place in the family. Bella, however, does not know I am here; I figured she would sleep easier this way. But, in addition to an olive branch, tonight also serves another purpose

I have been slow to realize just how much Bella loves my brother, and my family. And I still have a hard time understanding how a human could love one of us so much. It is beyond the grasp of most humans. But Bella is living proof, pun intended, that it is possible. And tonight offered me an unobserved opportunity to familiarize myself with the newest member of my family. Without Bella's knowing.

I'm still not convinced that Bella has forgiven me. I had nearly gotten her, Edward, and Alice killed. I had doubted her loved for Edward. Although Edward had too, so I don't feel too bad about that. Does Bella realize that in voting no, I was actually being honest and thinking of her? Edward has told me several times that Bella isn't angry with me. But I find that so hard to believe. On the rare occasion I see her- she is still under house arrest, she stays a polite distance from me.

So I am using tonight as a chance to learn more about Bella. Honestly the girl baffles me. Who would choose this life? How could she willing give up the life she had? What is it about her that makes Edward willing to sacrifice his own life, his happiness for her wellbeing? And what on earth could possibly make watching her sleep so interesting that he would willingly subject himself to this boredom nightly? These are all questions I have come here to answer.

I spent the first twenty minutes in careful examination of Bella herself. I came to the same conclusion that I did every other time I had considered her. Bella is not beautiful, despite what Edward believes. But then Emmett and Jasper both claimed to find her more attractive that the typical human. She's pretty, certainly, but beautiful? This I do not get.

I had quietly, but thoroughly, looked through all of the books, pictures, and various other items out on display in her room. I can why she and Edward enjoy discussing literature. They like similar authors and styles. In fact, she seemes a bit old fashioned in her literary tastes, but examination had shown me that this oddity had existed before she moved to Forks.

Her taste in music, I couldn't get much of a grasp on. She had that put away somewhere and I didn't want to risk waking her by searching for it. But Edward had mentioned at some point that Bella liked a wide variety of music. I did see the radio Emmett, Jasper, and I had bought for her birthday. It was stuffed in the corner of her closet, peaking out from behind a lackluster green shirt. Whatever she had done, she had thoroughly destroyed it. I wasn't sure it could ever be fixed.

Her pictures are mostly of her and mother when she was younger. A small handful includes her father and Edward. But with the exception of one picture, Edward looks pained in all of them. They must have been taken just before his ill-conceived departure. I had thought he destroyed all these when he left, but apparently he hadn't been able to. Or else Bella had made multiple copies.

Her computer certainly left something to be desired. It had to be agonizingly slow. And my distorted reflection was annoying me. I could have happily spent most of the night working on new ways of styling my hair. London's fashion week had just ended. I need hair and make up to accent the new clothes that Alice and I had just bought.

Having gleaned all the information I can about Bella without waking her, and having long since given up understanding why Edward enjoyes watching her sleep- I find it incredibly dull, I am organizing outfits from specific pieces of my new clothes. If I remember correctly, the pattern of the black skirt is the same color as the new green sheet blouse. And my lavender tube top should accent quite nicely. And flats are in this year, so the lavender Prada flats I bought last season should…

"mmm…Edward."

I quick glance at the computer screen confirmed what I already knew. My eyebrows are up in my hairline. And my concentration is broken. She talks in her sleep? I focus on Bella. Her lips are moving, but no sound is coming out. I wait a moment and start to resume my organizing when she mumbles again.

"Don't wanna fight. Love you, Edward."

It takes all I have not to start laughing. Does she know she does this? A few more loving mumbles and I am quite certain I know why Edward enjoys being here while she sleeps. And now I know why Edward said I should probably guard her from roof, a suggestion I ignored immediately. Not only would it have prevented me learning about her, but I would have ruined my clothes lying on the roof all night long.

Bella sighs and resettles on her pillow, continuing to murmur loving words to my absent brother. It's oddly sweet, and I can't help but wonder what she sees while she's dreaming. She seems quite content wherever she is. This continues for about half an hour, entertaining me all the while.

I can imagine why Edward loves listening to her. For someone who can hear every thought from those around him, not knowing what Bella is thinking must drive him crazy. But here he has unedited access to her thoughts. I wonder briefly how he could question the depth of her love after listening to her whispered affections night after night. I might have to ask him that.

Bella continues her sleepy conversation for several minutes, addressing her parents, Jacob –I'm sure Edward loves that, and Alice. Her conversation with her father again makes me wonder what she sees as she sleeps.

Dreaming is one of the parts of being human I no longer remember. Well I don't remember sleeping, so dreaming is definitely out. With one exception. I have very, very vague memories of having a nightmare as a child. I remember nothing about the dream, only the panicked feelings that chased me into consciousness. Even fainter wisps of images of my mother putting her cool hand on my forehead to soothe me. Bella really is willing to give up dreaming, sleeping for Edward?

I am struggling to wrap my mind around that when Bella begins to move anxiously. Her breathing is shallow, coming in quick gasps, color fading from her already pale cheeks. "No," she whispers, unrest coloring her voice. "Run. Try to run."

I shift nervously in rocking chair. Should I wake her up? Clearly she's no longer having a good time. Or will I scare her more, make her uncomfortable? Edward didn't give me any guidelines for this! Okay, maybe I should have stayed on the roof. But I still would have heard. I stop breathing, hoping my stillness will somehow send her back into peaceful dreams.

"Stop! She's scared! She knows!" Bella wears a twisted expression, clenching her fists. Again I wonder what she is seeing. Who is she telling to run? Bella is growing increasingly agitated and it bothers me. I can almost feel her terror and reminds me of that night so long ago.

Moving slowly, even by human standards, I go to her bedside. From the way she is moving she must be fighting something. Tears start leaking from her eyes and I can't resist reaching for her. "She knows! Stop!" Bella nearly shouts. I place my cool hand against her forehead, the way I almost remember my mother doing.

With a start Bella wakes, her tortured eyes meet mine, and surprise registers amid the terror. I pull my hand away quickly, even more unsure now of what to do. We just stare at each other for long moments, Bella working to control her erratic breathing and heartbeat.

As Bella sits up, I wonder what to say. No words are coming to mind. She's watching me wearily as she wipes the moisture from her face. It takes several minutes before she's calm again, and I can't help but wonder what did this to her. Bella opens her mouth to speak, but then closes it again.

"What were you seeing?"

The sound of my own voice startles both of us, me especially. I hadn't intended to ask her anything.

Bella looks at me for a long moment, and I begin to think I've overstepped some unspoken bound. But just as I start to turn away and move back to the rocking chair she whispers, "Italy. I was dreaming of Italy."

Surprise must show of my face. It hadn't sounded like she was dreaming about Italy. She wasn't fighting for Edward, Alice, or herself. Bella reads my expression, and with a deep breath she began to explain.

"When we were brought to the Volturi, they were gathered in the tower, awaiting the arrival of a vampire named Heidi. She'd been sent to gather…dinner." Bella's voice was hesitant. "Heidi returned before Aro dismissed us. She brought them in at the same time we were leaving."

I could see the horror in her eyes as she looked at me. Although I thought I knew where this was going, I hung on her every word.

"All of the people were excited, talking loudly. They had no idea what they were in for. Whatever Heidi had promised, they wanted. But there was one woman. Small. She wasn't very tall. She had a," Bella's voice broke, "a rosary around her neck. Whatever language she spoke, it was not Italian, and no one else spoke it. She knew. She knew something was wrong. She was scared, you could see it on her face. She was trying to get someone to help her. She knew."

Bella closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, calming her herself. "All the others Heidi brought in are a blur. But that one woman, clutching her rosary, I can see her like she is standing in front of me. She knew."

I didn't know what to say to that. How could I offer her any kind of comfort? What the Volturi did is what vampires are meant to do. But I couldn't help but understand her horror. It was why I lived with a nagging ache at the back of my throat. Why I fought to live this illusion of a human life.

I reached out and brushed her damp hair from her face. "I'm sorry," was all I could say. And in that moment I was. Sorry for doubting her love of my brother and my family, sorry for not considering how Edward would react to my phone call, sorry for being the reason she had to go to Italy to rescue Edward.

Bella offered me smile, and some small understanding past between us. "I guess you got stuck with guard duty?"

"Alice and Jasper's anniversary," I said awkwardly.

Bella nodded and yawned, sleep pulling at her now that her adrenaline was fading. "I wondered who he would send."

Not wanting her to think Edward had forced me into this is I answered, "I figured I would be better than Emmett."

We shared a quiet laugh at that. "He'd never let me live down my sleep talking," she agreed, blushing. So she did know about that.

"Will you be able to sleep now?"

Bella nodded. "I'm used to nightmares." She paused, hesitant. "But thanks. For being here. It helps to talk."

I nod and rearrange the quilt as she lays back down, her eyes drifting closed. I stay by her bedside as she drifts back to sleep. Again Bella has surprised me. She has seen the worst of our kind twice now. Has lived through being hunted by a sadistic tracker and an audience with the Volturi. Experiences that left her with nightmares. And yet she still wants to join our family, to take that final step. And she found comfort in my presence. All beauty aside, I was a monster, how could I be comforting?

Rolling onto her side Bella mumbled, "You're not a monster. You try."

I watched for a moment as she settled down. How had she known that is what I was thinking? Had she and Edward had this discussion before? Could she possibly look at me and not see a monster wearing an angel's face? Was that even possible?

With a quiet sigh, I stood preparing to move back to the rocking chair. My eyes caught on the destroyed radio in her closet. Moving quietly, I removed it from the green shirt. Bella had given me a lot to think about tonight. And she had shared an obviously painful memory with me. Bella's olive branch to me.

I glanced swiftly around the room, and not seeing what I wanted, I opened her door and silently slipped downstairs. I found the box of tools near the television. I pulled several different sized screw drivers and two pair of pliers from the box and returned to Bella's room. I angled the chair towards her window, drawing as much moonlight as possible. Spreading the tools around me, I sat in the rocking chair, the radio in my lap. This would be my olive branch to Bella. I would fix as much of the radio tonight as could, and do the rest tomorrow, at the house if need be.

Bella sighed softly, that hint of smile once more gracing her lips. I felt a similar smile pull at my own mouth, grateful that she was sleeping peacefully once more. I glanced at the clock as I reached for a screw driver. 2:40 am.


End file.
